How does the camera support the story-world of the dance? Curated by Siobhan Murphy, ‘The Camera Behaves’ gathers recent international films in which the camera is a key agent.  From tense single takes to the complicity of direct address and the visceral rollercoaster of a dancer’s point of view, the diversity of camerawork in these films invites you to examine this crucial aspect of screendance craft.

Monday (2025), by Andreas Guzman [Hong Kong]

Nobody loves Mondays. The return to the grind haunts every office worker worldwide. Paperwork piles up, conference calls overload, and the suits and ties bind us to the monotony of the workday. But even within the overbearing nature of Monday, the everyday working person can find their escape from the corporate work culture and discover their inner peace.

This project was produced by the Hong Kong Ballet’s Creative Media Studio

Director Andreas Guzman
Choreography Ruochen Wang
Director of Photography Silas Chow
Editor Justin Ho
Dancers Ruochen Wang, Jessica Burrows, Jingyi Feng, Larissa Li, Jonathan Spigner, Lin Chang-Yuan Kyle, Basil James

Contresens (2024), by Tizia Benmchich-Lanardonne [France]

From a Parisian Métro platform below to the night streets above, one woman decides to go against the current in Contresens. Her defiance bubbles up through expressive facial contortions that build to a freewheeling dance motivated from deep within. As her confidence grows, she discovers the sheer pleasure of each movement, coming fully alive in her body through the catharsis of dance.

Written, directed, edited Tizia Benmchich-Lanardonne
Dancer Eline Larrory
Music Brianna Tam

A Bird Named Mansour (2024), by Jordy Dik [Netherlands]

A Bird Named Mansour is grounded in the unsettling reality of today’s world—a world filled with chaos, where countless children are forced to flee their homes in search of safety. It directly reflects on the choices of world leaders who too often opt for violence instead of saving lives, a harsh commentary on our current global landscape. Inspired by birds—symbols of freedom and the yearning to fly towards a peaceful future—the film speaks to the simple yet profound desire to live together in harmony. At its core, A Bird Named Mansour serves as both a mirror to our times and a call for change, reminding us that none of us can truly be free until freedom belongs to all. So, what are we waiting for?

A Bird Named Mansour resulted from a 10-day research program in which choreographer Jordy Dik collaborated with Shechter II (UK) and Compagnie Tiuri (NL) as part of the 2024 Fast Forward program by the Performing Arts Fund NL

Artistic director, DOP & edit Jordy Dik
Associate artistic director Loura Sita van Krimpen
Composer Vincent Dankelman
Composition violin music Oene Van Geel
Production Hofesh Shechter Company
(Creative) Access worker Tiuri Lotte Dekkers & Yara Besters
Allround assistance Tiuri Anne Hijmissen
Lights & assistance Dauphine Stofberg
Technical support Andrej Gubanov
Colourist Giovanni de Deugd
Costumes Ceralia Thompson & Lian Verhoeven
Design Loura Sita van Krimpen
Dancers Holly Brennan, Timur Dam, Damien de Hoog, Margriet Jacobs, Yun-Chi Mai, Igor Memic, Eloy Cojal Mestre, Matthea Lara Pedersen, Sabine Van Riel, Piers Sanders, Rowan van Sen, Gaetano Signorelli & Toon Theunissen